OA086752015

This is an appeal by the Respondent Entry Clearance Officer ("ECO"). For ease of reference I refer to the parties as they were in the First-tier Tribunal even though strictly the ECO is the Appellant in this Tribunal.

The Respondent appeals against a decision of First-Tier Tribunal Judge I Ross promulgated on 24 February 2017 ("the Decision") allowing the Appellant's appeal against the Respondent's decision dated 1 May 2015 refusing her entry clearance as the spouse of a person settled in the UK.

The Appellant is a Bangladeshi national. She applies to join her husband, Mr Saleh Ahmed ("the Sponsor") who is settled in the UK. She made an application on 18 February 2015 refused by the Respondent's decision under appeal.

The Respondent refused the Appellant's application for two reasons, both connected with the Sponsor's income. The Respondent was not satisfied that the Sponsor was earning the income stated in the application. It was also noted that the information provided regarding the Sponsor's earnings conflicted with information received from HMRC.

The Respondent's decision was maintained by the Entry Clearance Manager ("ECM") on 10 September 2015. He placed emphasis on the second of the reasons given. He indicated that further verification checks were made to HMRC following receipt of the appeal bundle and that as a result of that information he was "satisfied that employment has been contrived for the purposes of this visa application".